Invitation: A Reception from the National Foundation for Women Legislators, Inc.

Reception honoring the Standing Committees of the 2000 Democratic National Convention. Los Angeles, California. August 15, 2000

Resetting Normal: Women, Decent Work and Canada\u27s Fractured Care Economy

Women in Canada have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to an extent that threatens to roll back equality gains. Economic losses have fallen heavily on women and most dramatically on women living on low incomes who experience intersecting inequalities based on race, class, disability, education, and migration and immigration status. The pandemic crisis has highlighted the fragility of response systems and the urgent need for structural rethinking and systemic change

Business and social outcomes of gender-smart technical assistance activities in small and medium enterprises : building the evidence base for gender lens investing

Gender lens investing is growing as the business case becomes more evident. Those involved in gender lens investing are testing different approaches expanding beyond investing in women-owned or women-led companies, companies that promote workplace equity, and companies providing products or services that improve the lives of women and girls. One such approach involves investors supporting their portfolio of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with gender-smart technical assistance (TA) activities, which is the focus of this research. TA engagements with SMEs aim to improve gender equality internally within business operations and externally across value chains while enhancing companies’ business performance. This research measured the effectiveness of seven types of TAs provided to 21 SMEs across four sectors and three regions. The study confirms that TA activities contribute to positive business and social outcomes for companies and their stakeholders such as employees, customers, distributors, and producers.United States Agency for International Development (USAID

National review of maternity services 2008: women influencing change

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In 2009 the Australian government announced a major program of reform with the move to primary maternity care. The reform agenda represents a dramatic change to maternity care provision in a society that has embraced technology across all aspects of life including childbirth.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A critical discourse analysis of selected submissions in the consultation process to the national review of maternity services 2008 was undertaken to identify the contributions of individual women, consumer groups and organisations representing the interests of women.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Findings from this critical discourse analysis revealed extensive similarities between the discourses identified in the submissions with the direction of the 2009 proposed primary maternity care reform agenda. The rise of consumer influence in maternity care policy reflects a changing of the guard as doctors' traditional authority is questioned by strong consumer organisations and informed consumers.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Unified consumer influence advocating a move away from obstetric -led maternity care for all pregnant women appears to be synergistic with the ethos of corporate governance and a neoliberal approach to maternity service policy. The silent voice of one consumer group (women happy with their obstetric-led care) in the consultation process has inadvertently contributed to a consensus of opinion in support of the reforms in the absence of the counter viewpoint.</p

Mobile phones and entrepreneurial identity negotiation by urban female street traders in Uganda

Mobile phones have been posited as enhancing women's entrepreneurship and gender equality in developing countries, yet empowerment outcomes are unclear. This article considers how women in the gender-segregated informal economy construct their entrepreneurial identity in relation to mobile phones and the discursive repertoires that marginalize and empower. Using data from interviews with six urban female street traders in Kampala, Uganda, it explores how these repertoires illustrate their sense of self, positioning and belonging to the business community. Normative representations and positioning of female traders can sideline entrepreneurial identity and over-validate gender identity. But, participants also negotiate entrepreneurial identity construction in response to these marginalizing influences. Although the data demonstrate that participants are equivocal about their entrepreneurial identity or fit in business, some representations are more validating and offer a sense of belonging. The article concludes by highlighting the nuanced opportunities for social change their discursive repertoires may present

The Role of Sexual and Reproductive Rights in Social Work Practice

The understanding and promotion of sexual and reproductive rights are essential in the social work profession, not only to improve the health status of affected populations but to advocate effectively for social justice and to respond to globalized realities. This article highlights the relevance of sexual and reproductive rights in the philosophical foundation and practice of social work, emphasizes the impact of reproductive health and rights on women's lives, and proposes a social work agenda that will embrace and promote sexual and reproductive rights. It uses policy statements from the International Federation of Social Workers as well as a human rights framework focused on sexual and reproductive rights that stems from the global feminist movement.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline